modeltrainhead
New Member
remember me ???
Building a 4X6 layout for my son.
- Thread starter DaRule762
- Start date
remember me ???
cdouglas
Member
My son and I do trains and he's 4 1/4 right now. Its DC right now but I have a Digitrax Zephry that we will start using soon and use jrmi and iphones to control. We have about 6-8 locos and the benefit of DCC is that you can just park the locos on the sidings and dial up whatever one you want to use instead of pulling off the tracks. It will also be good when the grampy's come over and they can run up to 10 locos at the same time, which is a little much for now on the small layout I have.
Control of the lights and sound in a couple will be added benefit along with less chance of breakage. (with me, hes very careful
)
-Chris
Control of the lights and sound in a couple will be added benefit along with less chance of breakage. (with me, hes very careful
)-Chris
cdouglas
Member
Yes, but you need a locobuffer or Digitrax pr3 when using Digitrax gear. I dont know if they have the same for NCE or other vendors.
So Zephyr connects to track, then pr3 between computer running JRMI and Zephyr. Then use app called WiThrottle ($9 I think) to connect via Wifi to JRMI. I haven't got it going yet since I still need to purchase the pr3, but ratings and review are very high.
I have 2 iphones and a ipod touch on the same itunes account, so I can get 3 throttles going for $9 in addition to the one of the Zephyr.
So Zephyr connects to track, then pr3 between computer running JRMI and Zephyr. Then use app called WiThrottle ($9 I think) to connect via Wifi to JRMI. I haven't got it going yet since I still need to purchase the pr3, but ratings and review are very high.
I have 2 iphones and a ipod touch on the same itunes account, so I can get 3 throttles going for $9 in addition to the one of the Zephyr.
DaRule762
New Member
A little update. Marked the track position and then pulled it up and laid the track bed. Im gonna work on the little foam hills tonight and will post a photo or 2 of that tomorrow.
To my surprise, this is actually a lot of fun. Very relaxing. Now if the heat here would let up I would spend all night in the garage. Again thanks to everyone for their help.
To my surprise, this is actually a lot of fun. Very relaxing. Now if the heat here would let up I would spend all night in the garage. Again thanks to everyone for their help.
Mike_Arnold
Newbie Modeler
Looking good! It is very relaxing when it's the right temperature
Keep us updated!
Mike
Keep us updated!
Mike
mydartswinger
Member
Very nice layout on only 4x6. I look forward to seeing your progress with it.
As for the DC vs. DCC, I think with that track plan DC should be more than enough. That is, unless you choose to get more into running 2 trains on the track. In that case, you may want DCC so you can use your "cuts" (shortcuts around the curves) as runarounds. You'd need the DCC have separate control over each locomotive so you can stop 1 to let the other go around it, then start the other. DCC can be done at a later time. Run the DC until he (or you) get's bored, then upgrade to DCC when you're ready.
It's your choice. Do what you'll (and your son) will enjoy the most.
Shannon
As for the DC vs. DCC, I think with that track plan DC should be more than enough. That is, unless you choose to get more into running 2 trains on the track. In that case, you may want DCC so you can use your "cuts" (shortcuts around the curves) as runarounds. You'd need the DCC have separate control over each locomotive so you can stop 1 to let the other go around it, then start the other. DCC can be done at a later time. Run the DC until he (or you) get's bored, then upgrade to DCC when you're ready.
It's your choice. Do what you'll (and your son) will enjoy the most.
Shannon
DaRule762
New Member
Been so busy I forgot to post the finished (For Now) pictures. Didn't turn out nearly as well as I had hoped, the little hills get lost, they just kinda blend in with the ground cover. Still need trees and such and some fine tuning, but my son loves it and thats what counts. The last photo is My son Matt then Luke who I made this for, grandpa and cousin Kayla.
Littlefoot14
Active Member
Looks better than my first setup.
He said it perfectly. The ground foam really looks nice! Add in a road, a couple of houses and maybe a farm or something and youll have a very nice layout, especially for a child!
Larry Launstein Jr
Member
Not bad for a first layout for a young one. I would very seriously consider using DC until he gets a bit older. By then, the two of you may want a larger layout anyway, so you can get some fun out of DCC.
DaRule762
New Member
Thanks for your kind words all. I was thinking maybe for Christmas getting trees a structure or two, etc. Any suggestions on who to get trees from? Certainly not looking for anything high end, just want some that aren't so fake looking. Bulk would be a plus too. I was thinking about a rock quarry or logging in the open center area. Thoughts and suggestions are very much welcome.
Larry Launstein Jr
Member
Woodland Scenics makes excellent trees,but to make them look more real, you can, for instance, if you are doing fall trees, sprinkle some other colors besides the ones on the trees, for a bit of added realism. Just use some coarse turf.
You can get all kinds of pine trees, too. And at the Lansing, MI, Model Railroad Show, they had a guy actually do a presentation on how to make your own trees. He was using Woodland Scenics plastic tree trunks and branches, and found objects (small sticks with small branches on them). He would take some rustoleum and paint the sticks, and then apply small strands of rope he cut up into little threads. Then he would glue those to the sticks while they were still wet. Then he would apply the Woodland Scenics coarse turf on top of those.
For pine trees, he had to use the Woodland Scenics trunks, but he would, as before, apply the rope strands (he would tie some rope strands if his sticks did have branches, and then glue the smaller rope strands to that). Then he would apply the Woodland Scenics coarse turf.
Check out the train shows to see what there is available. I've seen all kinds of pre-made trees, and ones people have created themselves. I have a combination of both on my layout.
If my memory serves me right, last year about this time, Model Railroader Magazine had a great feature on how to make your own trees, or jazz up pre-made ones.
You can get all kinds of pine trees, too. And at the Lansing, MI, Model Railroad Show, they had a guy actually do a presentation on how to make your own trees. He was using Woodland Scenics plastic tree trunks and branches, and found objects (small sticks with small branches on them). He would take some rustoleum and paint the sticks, and then apply small strands of rope he cut up into little threads. Then he would glue those to the sticks while they were still wet. Then he would apply the Woodland Scenics coarse turf on top of those.
For pine trees, he had to use the Woodland Scenics trunks, but he would, as before, apply the rope strands (he would tie some rope strands if his sticks did have branches, and then glue the smaller rope strands to that). Then he would apply the Woodland Scenics coarse turf.
Check out the train shows to see what there is available. I've seen all kinds of pre-made trees, and ones people have created themselves. I have a combination of both on my layout.
If my memory serves me right, last year about this time, Model Railroader Magazine had a great feature on how to make your own trees, or jazz up pre-made ones.
DaRule762
New Member
Thank you. I know if I could of had more time when building it I would have been happier with it. Its just not the way I had hoped it would have come out, but my little guy... Just loves it so I really cant complain. I don't see him giving this up anytime soon so there will be more pictures in the future. Again, Thanks.
Nice little layout and glad to see you enjoying it so much more than apparently you thought you would.
I assume by now you decided the DC/DCC issue.
If you can stand one more input:
When I got back into the hobby 4 years ago after many many years of hiatus, I decided I wanted this new fangled thing called DCC. I, to, have a small HO layout {3.5 feet x 5.1 feet} It consists of two interconnected by switches ovals with a 4 spur yard and two spur engine service facilty/storage house inside the inner oval.
I got the much mentioned Bachmann EZ COmmand DCC unit with a loco kit. I connected just 2 wires to the layout. That's it. I can control my Bachmann DCC OnBoard locos with speed, direction and light control. It serves the purpose I need for my small layout. I did later add one set of feeders on the other side of the layout from where the original connection is.I can run two trains at once, one on each oval for example , even in opposite directions! I can run them forward and backward independent of the other all with just two wires and no electrical "blocks" or insulated "blocking" required.
Later on, I may want to upgrade to a better more expensive system, but am currently looking to put together a new under-the-table-top-xmas-tree layout board and am going to get another Bachmann EZCOMMAND DCC w/loco set for that layout. {$89.00 at wholesaletrains.com} It will be all I need to run a few trains around under the tree.
True, it doesn't have sound capabilities, but I don't care for sound anyway. I have had no problems programming my locos for basic operation or even changing the order number setting {there are 1o settings for 10 locos that can be chosen from} with #10 being able to run a DC only loco if need be}.
For the simple pleasures of getting into DCC with something that is easy to operate and run for you and your son, I would still recommend it.
Also the Bachmann DCC OnBoard locos are relatively inexpensive {around $50 for diesels} if you aquire them from a place like: www.wholesaletrains.com OR www.trainworldonline.com .The idea here is if your young son {or you LOL} damages or destroys a loco somehow, you haven't lost much. Other sound equiped DCC locos can run into the hundreds of dollars,and that would be a shame to ruin on behalf of a childhood mistake.
Welcome to the greatest hobby in the world and pleased to see you have some bonding time with your son!
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences, others may vary.
________
JEAN ALESI
I assume by now you decided the DC/DCC issue.
If you can stand one more input:
When I got back into the hobby 4 years ago after many many years of hiatus, I decided I wanted this new fangled thing called DCC. I, to, have a small HO layout {3.5 feet x 5.1 feet} It consists of two interconnected by switches ovals with a 4 spur yard and two spur engine service facilty/storage house inside the inner oval.
I got the much mentioned Bachmann EZ COmmand DCC unit with a loco kit. I connected just 2 wires to the layout. That's it. I can control my Bachmann DCC OnBoard locos with speed, direction and light control. It serves the purpose I need for my small layout. I did later add one set of feeders on the other side of the layout from where the original connection is.I can run two trains at once, one on each oval for example , even in opposite directions! I can run them forward and backward independent of the other all with just two wires and no electrical "blocks" or insulated "blocking" required.
Later on, I may want to upgrade to a better more expensive system, but am currently looking to put together a new under-the-table-top-xmas-tree layout board and am going to get another Bachmann EZCOMMAND DCC w/loco set for that layout. {$89.00 at wholesaletrains.com} It will be all I need to run a few trains around under the tree.
True, it doesn't have sound capabilities, but I don't care for sound anyway. I have had no problems programming my locos for basic operation or even changing the order number setting {there are 1o settings for 10 locos that can be chosen from} with #10 being able to run a DC only loco if need be}.
For the simple pleasures of getting into DCC with something that is easy to operate and run for you and your son, I would still recommend it.
Also the Bachmann DCC OnBoard locos are relatively inexpensive {around $50 for diesels} if you aquire them from a place like: www.wholesaletrains.com OR www.trainworldonline.com .The idea here is if your young son {or you LOL} damages or destroys a loco somehow, you haven't lost much. Other sound equiped DCC locos can run into the hundreds of dollars,and that would be a shame to ruin on behalf of a childhood mistake.
Welcome to the greatest hobby in the world and pleased to see you have some bonding time with your son!
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences, others may vary.
________
JEAN ALESI
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